Dispensing apparatus



June 14, 1932. A. J. BRECHT DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. ll, 1929 6 Sheets-Shea?, l

' INVENTOR I al1/dran; W//MK/ AT|ORNEYS DI SPENS ING AXPARTUS Filed Jan. ll, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 T4? '59324 A. J. BRECHT 39863983 DIsPENsING APPARATUS Filed Jan. l1, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR June 14, 1932. A J, BRECHT 1,863,083

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR @4W W6/Mx TTORNEYS Patented .lune 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ermee ANDREW' JOSEPH BRECHT, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO A. P. W. PAPER CO., OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F N EV] YORK DISPEN SING APPARATUS Application led January 11, 1929. Serial No. 331,738.

My invention relates particularly to dispensing apparatus, but has relation more especially to the dispensing of interfolded paper articles, as, for example, paper towels.

The object of my invention is to provide a dispensing mechanism in connection with articles of various kinds, but which is especially applicable for the dispensing of inter folded paper articles, as, for example, paper towels, which is capable of uniform operation at all times. More particularly, the object of my invention is to provide a construction in which the coin mechanism is ready for operation in any available position as a suticient number of coin slots are provided in connection with thedifferent positions of the dispensing rolls to provide a coin slot at all times ready for the receipt of the actuating coin. Still another object is to provide a simple construction for the operation and actuation of the towel delivery mechanism and in which the parts thereof are entirely arranged together in a removable unit. Another ohject is to provide a coin-ejecting mechanism in connection therewith. Again, another object is to provide means in the coin actuating` mechanism to permit a plurality of coins to be inserted at any given time without in any way damaging or interfering with the operating mechanism. Still another object of my invention is to provide a coin actuating mechanism so arranged as to prevent the insertion of coins during the operation of the dispensing mechanism.

While my invention is ycapable of embodiment in many different forms, l have shown only one form of the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section on line 1 1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 isa front elevation of tion of the cabinet;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the front portion of the cabinet;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the operating handle;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the operating shaft attached to the handle;

Fig. 15 is an end elevation' of the cam on said shaft;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation showing the arrangement of each of the roll-supporting the rear porbrackets Fig. 17 is a plan view of one of the sliding journal bearings for the rear roll.

Fig. 18 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 19 is a front elevation of the transverse plate connecting the roll-supporting brackets.

Fig. 20 is a plan View of the same; and

Fig. 21 is a front elevation of the coin-chute bracket.

In the drawings, I have shown a dispensing cabinet comprising a rear member 1 having a plurality of holes 2, 3 and 4 for the introduction of hooks or bolts for attaching the cabinet to any desired surface, as, for eX- ample, a wall. This rear member 1 has on the forward face of the rear portion thereof two U-shaped brackets 5 and 6 having free upwardly directed hook-shaped ends 7 and 8 respectively for supporting an inner container for the interfolded towels, as hereinafter described. The rear member, furthermore, has a top portion 9 to cover the top of the cabinet, a left side portion 10 provided with a hinge 11 for attachment thereto of a hinged edge 1Q of a front member 13. Further, the rear member 1 has a narrow right side 14 provided wtili a recess 15 through which an operating handle 16 of the dispensing mechanism is designed to pass. The side portions 1() and 14 are united across the front of the cabinet by a vertical portion 17 and an inclined portion 18 and at the bottom of the cabinet with a bottom portion 19.

-l Ll shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noted from Fig. 9 that the bottom portion 19 extends only part way across the cabinet and that there is a pocket 2O formed at the end of thev bottom Wall 19 for receiving a laterally removable money box 21, adapted to be locked in the usual way.

The front member 13 of the cabinet is comprised, further, of a top portion 22, a front cover 23 having secured to the lower end thereof an'inclined wall 24 corresponding in position to the wall Y18 and, inv addition, a side portion 25 having a recess 26 to permit the passage of the handle 16. In order that the contents of the cabinet may be observed at all times, so as to determine the time for refilling, the front member 23 may be provided with a glass window 26a.

Within the interior there is removably supported a towel container 27 having openings 28 and 29 at the rea-r of the same to fit over the brackets 5 and 6 for supporting the container in place Within the cabinet. Also, the container 27 is maintained laterally in its proper position by vertical angle bars 30 and 31, which are riveted to the back of the rear member 1 of the cabinet. As will be noted from Figs. 1 to 5, said container has arear portion 32 with two angular recesses 33 and 34 therein for receiving the angle bars 30 and 31. Also, the container has side walls 35 and 36 and left and right front portions 37 and 38, the latter of which terminates, as shown in Fig. 2, some distance below the top of the cabinet, to permit the insertion of a packet of interfolded paper towels 39 at this point. It will be noted that these towels are arranged in a pac'ket, each in the form resulting from folding it in the middle and then having the folded towel arranged in Z-form with the two ends of the next succeeding towel extending over both sides of the lowermost fold of the first mentioned towel, as In other words, these towels are in an interfolded packet and the machine is arranged for dispensing these Y towels by placing the lowermost fold of each towel in succession within the reach or grasp of the user so that the said towels can be removed one after another from the pack, but only one at a time. For this purpose the packet of towels 39 rests upon a mouth piece 40 which is comprised of two side portions Y 41 and 42 having slots 43 for the passage of screws 44 to enable them to be attached to the sides' 35 and 36 of the towel container; valso of converging Z-shaped angle members 45 and 46 havingan opening 47 between them for the depending end of the lowermost folded towel. The angle member 45 has a cutout portion 48 so as not to interfere with a com chute 49 contained in the apparatus.

The coin chute 49, as will be noted from the Vdrawings, projects out through the front member of the cabinet 13 at one side thereof and forms a part of a self-contained removable unit constituting all of the actuating and feeding mechanism of the apparatus. The coin chute is comprised of a slotted casing 5() having a front wall 51 and a rear'wall 52 and lateral flanges 53 for supporting the same from thev roll supporting brackets hereinafter described. Between the walls 52 and 53 there is situated a swinging flap 54 pivotally supported upon an axis 55, the purpose of which Ais to prevent the mechanism from becoming jammed by the insertion of more than one coin before the mechanism is operated. The coin which passes down the chute 51 enters the adjacent one of a series of ten coin-receiving slots 56 in a coin-receiving wheel 57 having pointed teeth 58 extending outwardly between the-said slots 56. This wheel 57 is secured to the end of a shaft 59 on which there is carried a fluted roll 6() having ten utes, and which are positioned oppo site to the ten slots 56. It will be noted that the shaft 59 of the fluted roll 69 is supported within two end brackets 61 and 62, which are supported upon a transverse bracket 63 L-shaped in cross-section and having a Z- shaped bracket 64 on the bottom thereof to support the same from the bottom of the cabinet. To said transverse bracket 63 there is also attached a handle-supporting bracket 65 having an extension 66 which extends outwardly through thev side ofthe cabinet to receive a handle 67 secured by a pin 68 to a short shaft l69, which is journaled in` the handle-supporting bracket 65. On its inner end said shaft 69 is provided with a coin-- ejecting cam-shaped member 70 which is supported within a cylindrical recess 71 cut out of one side ofthe slots 56, as shown in Fig. 4. Also, overlying a portion of the circnmfer:A ence of the outside of said slots 56 there is a 05 segmental guard plate 70a secured to one face of the cam-shaped member 70 to prevent the insertion of coins during the operation of the feeding mechanism. Also, around the saidA shaft 69 there is located a spring 72, one end U@ of which is fastened in the bracket 65 and the other end in the handle 67, and said handle has thereon a wall 73 to act as astop in cooperation with a pin 74 on the bracket 65 in order to always bring thehandle back U5 to its initial position after the rotation thereof for operating the dispensing mechanism. The iiuted roll 60 cooperates with a second,

or knurled roll 75, carried in sliding journalA bearings 76 at th-e two ends thereof, which are 120 always `pressed forward toward the roll`60 by means ofsprings 77 in recesses 78 in said bearings. The two rolls 60 and 75 are caused to be operated in unison by gears 78 and 8O` located on the shafts of said two rolls re- E25 spectively.

By the movement of the roll 60 through the interlocking of the handle 16 with the coin-receiving wheel 57 the lowermost towel is fed downwardly through a slot 81 between 130 two mouth plates 82 and 83, which are secured. at their sides to the brackets 6l and 62, having recesses 84 which are made narrow to prevent such a strong grasp being taken on the towel as would cause the ejection of a second towel from the apparatus simultaneously with the towel being grasped by the user.

If desired to prevent the insertion of coins when the apparatus is em-pty there may be provided a pin 85 adapted to project through a hole 86 in the flap 54 when the container is empty. This pin 85 is supported upon a forwardly projecting bar 87 which is pivotally connected to a vertically swinging rod 88 operating in a slot 88a in the container 27 supported from the top of the container by means of an eye 89 through which the bent end of the rod 88 extends, a spring 90 being provided on the inside of the container to press the rod 88 and pin 85 forwardly after the last towel has been dispensed from the container. Also, if desired, in the usual manner the cabinet may be provided with a hasp 91 and an eye 92 adapted to be secured together with a lock 93 for locking the cabinet, except when it is being refilled.

In the operation of my invention, it will be assumed that the cabinet contains a supply of interfolded paper towels, the lowermost one of which extends between the rolls 60 and Z5 but not to a point opposite the hand recess 84. If a penny, or other coin, is inserted into the coin slot 49, or even a succession of coins is inserted, one immediately after the other, in said coin slot, the apparatus will be thereby brought into a position for the actuation of the dispensing mechanism for bringing a towel down to the level of the hand recess 84. This is accomplished by reason of the fact that the radial coin ejecting face of the cam-shaped member comes in Contact with the coin and carries it around until it falls by gravity into the coin box 2l while simultaneously turning the fluted roll GO and, as a consequence, the lrnurled roll 75. During this movement any additional coins inserted will be discharged, also, into the coin box through the raising of the flap 54. Also, the insertion of any additional coins during the rotation of the feeding mechanism will be prevented by reason of the guard plate 70a which is adjacent to the cam-shaped member 70 which covers the lower end of the coin slot 49 during the movement referred to. This brings about a steplike movement of the two rolls 60 and 75 owing to the presence of the flutes on the roll 60, until the lowermost towel projects through the hand recess 84. Thereupon, the user grasping the towel pulls the same downwardly, thereby releasing the two upper free ends of the folded towel from around the lower folded end of the next succeeding towel at the point between the two rolls. This is accomplished by the pulling of said two free ends of the lowermost towel from between the two rollers and from around the lower folded edge of the next towel, while preventing the rollers from spinning by their own momentum, owing to the presence of the flutes on the roll 60. Therefore, not even by a sudden downward movement of such towel in the grasp of the user could the rolls be caused to move by their momentum sufliciently far to carry downwardly the second towel within the grasp of the user. Consequently, by this mechanism there is always dispensed only the single towel. purchased by the coin that has been inserted in the machine. Also, the flutes always cause the rolls to stop with the coinreceiving slot 56 opposite to the coin chute 49.

In case it is desired to refill the cabinet the container therein may be readily lifted out, after unlocking the cabinet, and refilled or replaced by a iilled container. Also, it will be readily seen that the composite unit of the operating mechanism may be readily lifted out when the container has been removed, in case it is desired to repair or replace the said unit for any desired purpose.

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. A coin-actuated mechanism comprising a member carrying a coin slot, and devices for the feeding of articles provided with a plurality of slots and adapted to be operated by one of a plurality of coins inserted in the slot for a single actuation of said feeding devices, comprising a movable flap adapted to release into the apparatus coins in excess of the first coin introduced.

2. In combination, a dispensing cabinet and a coin-actuated mechanism comprising a coin-receiving slot, a manually operable element and devices for the dispensing of articles from said cabinet` said devices being provided with a plurality of transverse slots and adapted to be coupled with the manually operable element by an inserted coin, said coin-actuated mechanism comprising a single composite unit removably carried in said cabinet.

S. In combination, a cabinet and a coinactuated mechanism having a coin receiving slot, a manually operable member, means for dispensing articles from said cabinet, .said means being provided with a plurality of transverse slots completely filling the circumference thereof, and said manually operable member having a cam-shaped member adapted to co-operate with said slots when a coin is inserted in one of the slots to operate the dispensing means.

4. In combination, a cabinet and a coin le actuated mechanism having a coin receiving] slot, a manually operable member, means forv dispensing articles from said cabinet, said means being provided with a plurality of transverse slots completely filling the cir-` cumference thereof, and said manually operable member having a cam-shaped member adapted to co-operate With said slots when a coin is inserted in one of the slots to operate the dispensing means, said' manually operable member being provided with means adapted to prevent the further addition of coins to said slotted means after one coin has been inserted.

5. A coin actuated mechanism, comprising, feeding means, said means being provided With a plurality of slots completely filling the circumference thereof and adapted to receive Coins, a manually operable member adapted to operate said feeding means When a coin is present in one of said slots, .said manually operable member being provided with an abutment adapted to engage With a coin in one of said slots to operate the feeding means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 8d day of December, 1928.

ANDREW JOSEPH BRECHT. 

